This invention relates to a method for molding products from thermosetting resins, and in particular to resin transfer molding.
In resin transfer molding, a fibrous reinforcement preform is placed in a mold, the mold is closed and resin is introduced into the mold cavity to wet the preform and to fill the mold. When the resin has set, a finished component can be taken from the mold and passed to any necessary clean up processes.
The choice of the resin system (resin plus catalyst) is carefully chosen to ensure that the resin flows completely to the edges of the mold cavity before it sets, and so that setting takes place as soon as possible after the mold is completely filled.
In order for resin transfer molding to be useful for the production of components in volume, it is necessary to reduce the cycle time, i.e. the time between successive openings of the mold, as far as possible.